Method of making doors



Feb. 26, 1929.

H. C. MORRIS METHOD OF MAKING DOORS Filed May 5, 1928 cent unitstheretol- Instead I provide a lim- Patented Feb. 26, 1929.

- UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

HUBER/1 C. IORRIS, 0F ALBANY, OREGON.

METHOD OF MAKINGDOORS.

Application med May a, 1928. Serial No. 274,952.

My invention relates to a method of making doors, and is particularlyrelated to a unit.

In the manufacture of doors of this character, it is essential toprovide means for the expansion and contraction of the panel, withoutthe disrupting of the door structure,

when the expansion occurs due to the absorp tion of moisture by thepanel structure.

I am aware that a routed groove has been provided within the adjacentencompassing members, of the panel,.to which the panel is associated,and that the expansionof the panels may be compensated by the same entering into the grooves provided for that purpose. It has been my.observation that as the expansion'and contraction of the panel as awhole occurs, the fastenings passing through the diagonalbracingintothe'individual units of the panel become loose, that the panel gets outof shape and many times the bracing becomes loose, andthat the expansionand contraction is not uniform through the individual units, so thatcracks and openings occur between the individualunit elements of thepanel even though a tongue and groove connect10n lSPfOVl dGdi be tweenthe adjacent units or elements. The

uneven shrinkage doesnot give uniform re sults. To prevent thisoccurring within the panel I provide means in theassembly of the doorpanel whereby an expansion andlcontraction of the individual unitscomprising the panel is not transferred from one to the other thuscausing a movement of the adj aited space adjacent the walls of thecompanion panel elements so that the shrinkage of the panel elements isnot transferred from one to the other, thus effectively preventing anexpansion and contraction of the as a whole.

panel .The primary object of my invention consists in the assembly of adoor having a panel disposed therein, in which said panel beingcomprised of a plurality'of individual units in spaced relationship witheach other, said spacing being suflicient only for the compensation ofshrinkage and swelling and the overall dimension being made to apredetermined width. A diagonal bracingv bein placed across the paneland the individual units comprising the panel being secured thereto. i

A further, object of my invention consists n a method of constructingdoors that result 1n a door that will give uniformly satisfactoryresults over long periods. I

With these and incidental objects the. invention consists in, certainnovel features of application and methods of procedure, the

essential'elements of which are set forth in with reference to thedrawings which accomillustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in which Fig. 1 isatop, plan view of an assembly frame into which thepanels may be assembled in advance of the same being placed githin thedoor during the assembly of the oor.

'Fig. 2 is a top,'plan view, partially in section of a door made by. mynewand improved methods. v i Fig. 3is a cross section view, taken online 3--3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, cross section view, taken on line 44 of Fig. 2,looking in the direction indicated, the same being madeto illustrate theplacing of the outside unit of the panel to the full depth of the groovedisposed adjacent the side and end walls of the panel and within thepanel frame.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, cross sect-ion view,

direction indicated.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, cross section view, taken on line 66 of Fig. 1,looking in the direction indicated.

Like reference characters refer. to like parts throughout the severalviews.

The door to be made consists in its essential elements of side members 1and 2 and bottom and center mile 3 and 4. These four elements form aframe into which the panel is placed. A relatively deep groove is formedon the inner edge of these four units into which the peripheral edge ofthe panel is made to fit and which bounds the same and maintains thepanel in place and position within the bounding frame structure. Thepanel is formed of a plurality of units 5 that in preferred form aretong'ued and grooved so that they areheld together. In the assembly ofthese units in a relatively loose condition, any swelling of eachindividual unit that occurs will not be transmitted to the next unit asthe spacing of each from the other is sufficient only to compensate forsuch swelling.

Diagonal bracings 6 and 7 are disposed across the panel and engage themeeting edges of the side members and the bottom and central rails tobrace and stiffen the door when the same is completed. In the forming ofthe panel the same is done within a frame 8 having corner angle braces9, so that when the panel is constructed it will be of a size toprecisely fit that of the space provided to receive the same. Disposedwithin the frame 8 are a plurality of spacing elements 10 adap ted toupwardly extend from the bottom 11 of the frame 8 and to engage betweenthe units 5 forming the panel, as illustrated at 12 and 13 in Fig. 5.This spaced relationship between adjacent surfaces of the panel units 5is suflicient for the swelling only and the primary purpose andintention of which is to prevent the expanding of the framestructuresurrounding the panel. Ihe corner braces 9 have added spaces 14 disposedin each corner which is of a thickness or depth precisely that of thedepth of the groove 15 disposed within the frame structure so when thepanel is completed the units of the panel entering the groove 15 willextend to the bottom 16 thereof and the spacing of the edges of thediagonal member elements 6 and 7 will bespaced a sufficient distancefrom the element of the units, as illustrated at 17' in Fig. 1 to permitof the entry of the extending edge of the outer panel units sufficientlyto extend to the depth of the groove 15. When the panel has beenassembled with in the frame with the unit-s 51in spaced relationship thediagona. bracing is then placed thereupon within the frame and issecured to each unit 5 forming the panel so that the same will berelatively fixed, as the same rclates to the diagonal bracings. In doingso the contraction and expansion of each of the units 5 is nottransmitted to the adjacent units and therefore the relation of thecenter line of each unit 5 remains substantially the same as it relatesto the bracing. Doors made in this manner remain relatively tight overlong periods; the units 5 remain relatively fixed and the shrinkage andexpansion of the same is not apparent excepting on close inspection. Thepanel may then be'inserted within the door and the remaining sidemembers and the bottom rail be inserted therein, placed in positionafter which the samemay be secured together by any suitable fasteningmeans, as by gluing or doweling or any other suitable and satisfactorymeans.

WVhen the panel has been assembled with in the frame and the diagonalbracing has been placed thereupon, said bracing elements being made to aprecise length and placed in a precise position upon the panel andwithin the frame, the panel is then assembled in the door frame as thedoor is finally assembled. The door is then tightened up in assembly andthe diagonal bracings are stressed sufficiently to brace the door into acommercial and usable structure and one that may be used over relativelylong periods, without losing its shape or becoming loose or becomingracked through use. I f

In the final assembly of the door, the bottom rail of the door is madeto move endwise of the side members and to engage one of the ends of thepanels and to maintain'the panel in a relatively tight relation with thebottom and center rails thus further stiffening the panel structure andmaintaining each of the panel elements in placed position.

I have observed in the manufacture of doors that if the diagonal bracingis made to engage the side members and the bottom and central elementsin advance of the bottom and central elements engaging the individualpanel units, that an initial stress will be placed in the diagonalbracing elements re sulting in tightening the door up during assemblythat is important and gives thedoo'r a longer life. This is primarilyaccomplished by applying compression to the end units of the door duringassembly. 7 End movement of the bottom rail is provided for by theplacing of the mortise within the side members to receive the tenons ofthe bottom' rail suiiiciently long to permit ofa movement of the bottomrail lengthwise of the side rails when the assembling end pressure isapplied to the door.

While the form ofmechanism herein de scribed may be successfully used inthe carrying out of my method, I do not wish to be limited to thespecific form of mechanism herein shown and described as any form ofmechanism may be used that is adapted to the carrying out of my method,all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

'What I claim is 1. In the manufacture of doors,having a recessed framefor the retention of a panel therein, said panel being composed of aplurality of strips in spaced relation and secured together by diagonalbracing, the method of assembling said panel consisting in the placingof the strips in spaced relation within a frame of a predetermineddimension to form a panel of a predetermined size, then locating thediagonal bracing and the fasten ing of the same to each panel element.

2. In the manufacture of doors, having a frame with a recessed groove inits inner edge for the retention of a panel of a predetermined overalldimension therein, the peripheral edges of said panel extending the fulldepth of the said grooves and the said panel being composed of aplurality of elements disposed in relatively'spaced relation within thepanel, diagonal bracing elements disposed upon the panel and securedthereto, the method of assembling said panel consisting in the placingof the panel elements Within a frame of a predetermined size tocompletely fill the frame to a precise position upon the panel and thefastening of the diagonal elements to each of the panel elements.

3. In the manufacture of doors, having a frame comprising-side membersand a bottom and a central rail, said frame having a groove disposed onits inner edge for the re tention of a panel therein, said panel beingan overall dimension to precisely fill the open ing within the frame tothe full depth of the grooves and composed of a plurality of ,elementsin spaced relation with each other, and having diagonal bracingsdisposed upon the anel and secured thereto, the method of assembling thepanel consisting of placing the panel elements in relatively spacedrelation upon a frame and filling the same to-a precise overalldimension of height and width, the placing of diagonal bracing elementsupon the panel elements within the frame and the fastening of thediagonal bracings and of the panel elements together.

4;. In the manufacture of Wooden doors having a frame comprising sidemembers and a bottom and a central frame to form an opening of apredeterminedsize therein, and said frame elements having a grooveformed on their inner edges of the opening thus formed, a panel of anoverall dimension of the opening formed within the frame, said panelbeing formed of a' plurality of panel elements arranged in parallel andeach being in spaced relation with the adjacent panel elements, suchspace being suflicient only for any normal swelling that may occurwithin the panel element, anddiagonal bracings disposed upon the panelelements and secured to each of the panel elements, the method ofassembling the panel consisting in placing the panel elements within aframe of a predetermined size,

said panel elements'being in spaced relation with each other sufiicientto compensate for the normal swelling of the panel elements and theplacing of diagonal bracing upon the panel of a length to fit into thecorners of the l door frame forming the opening for the panel and thefastening of the diagonal bracings and the panel together and to eachother.

5. In the manufacture of doors, having a panel forming a substantialarea of the door, and having a routed groove disposed within the sideframes and in the bottom rail and in the central rail for the retentionof the panel therein,-said panel being composed of a plurality ofelements in slidable'relation with each other, diagonal bracing for thepanel elements and secured to the panel elements, the outer periphery ofthe assembled panel filling the full extent of the groove disposed inthe door frame when the door is assembled, the method of assembling saidpanel and door consisting in the assembling of the panel elements withina frame and in spaced relation and the placing of the diagonal bracingon the panel elements in the frame and the fastening of the sametogether while in the frame of the door comprising side members andcross rails, a. groove disposed within the door frame for the receptionof the panel therein to the full depth ofthe groove, a panel havingdiagonal bracings disposed thereupon and secured to the panelelements,the method of assembling the door consisting in the preassembly of thepanel and the diagonal bracing with the panel elements in spacedrelation with each other and each panel element secured to the diagonalbracing, the rim of the panel outwardly extending from the end terminalsof the diagonal bracings slightly less than the depth of the grooves sothat a stress will be placed within the bracings when the panel isassembled within the frame and extended to the full depth of the groove,the assembly of the panel within the frame, and the application of endpressure to the door during assembly and the final fastening of the doortogether.

7. In the manufacture of doors, having a panel made up of a plurality ofvertical elements in slidable relation with each other, butsubstantially fixed relative to the door frame, said panel adapted forfixed engage ment within a panel groove disposed within the panel frame,diagonal bracings disposed upon the panel elementsand secured thereto,

the panel rim extending beyond the ends Within the trame the applicationof end of the diagonal bracing elements slightly less pressure to thedoor to press the panel to than the depth of the groove for thereception intimate end engagement with the cross rails 10 of the panelrim-therein, the method of asof the door and the final fastening of thedoor sembly consisting in the assembly of the panel together before thepressure is released.

and the diagonal bracing Within a frame to a precise dimension, theassembly of the panel HUBER-T C. MORRIS.

